“Not anything major,” Schwartz said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “And that’s no different than probably a dozen players on the team.”

But Johnson is very different, and his deteriorating physical condition is one of the reasons the Lions slid into December, blowing an open door to the division title by losing their fourth straight game.

“I always try to get out there [and play], but it wouldn’t do any good to go out there hobbling around,” Johnson said.

He finished the year with 1,492 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those stats are other-worldly numbers for most, but after Megatron broke Jerry Rice’s league record with 1,964 yards last year, it was obvious something was amiss.

Now he can get it fixed, so Schwartz or whoever is coaching the Lions next year can enjoy it.

Respect for Megatron. One of the biggest class acts of the league. Doesn’t run off the field crying when his team loses a game they should have had. Doesn’t point fingers or complain of ailments contributing to lower numbers and production. Guy quietly does his job (and more) with pain week-in and week-out.